• Middle order saves West Indies blushes against Sri Lanka

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    Shane Dowrich and Jason Holder resurrected the West Indies first innings after Sri Lanka pegged them back to 53-5 in Barbados.

    The Sri Lanka bowlers ran riot on a rain-affected opening day of the pink ball third Test against the Windies in Barbados on Saturday, 23 June, reducing them to 53-5 on the opening day of the final Test. Dowrich and Holder restored a measure of respectability to the innings, as the pair stitched together a crucial 70-run stand to enable the Windies to see out the close of a shortened day with their score on 132-5.

    Playing their first Test under the lights, the Windies batsmen struggled, with the visitors making the most of the green surface. Suranga Lakmal, the Sri Lanka captain in the absence of Dinesh Chandimal, had the breakthrough in the very first over, inducing the edge off Devon Smith (two).

    The slide continued from 3-1 to a dismal 8-3 within six overs, as Lakmal snared Kraigg Brathwaite (two) thanks to a brilliant catch by Danushka Gunathilaka, before Lahiru Kumara sent Kieran Powell (four) back. Shai Hope and Roston Chase attempted to steady the chase, adding 16 runs for the fourth wicket, but Kasun Rajitha – the paceman – had Chase’s stumps disturbed for a 30-ball 14.

    Rain intervened soon after – only 21 overs were possible in the first session – and play was interrupted for up to an hour. On resumption, shortly after the scheduled tea break, the Windies lost another wicket, as Hope’s 49-ball vigil ended when Ranjitha induced an edge. Hope departed, having scored a valuable 11, which brought Dowrich and Holder together.

    In the remaining 23.2 overs played in the day, the two watchfully denied Sri Lanka, putting away the bad deliveries and staying clear of the good ones. Their 79-run stand breathed new life into the innings.

    Rain interrupted time and again, forcing an early dinner, and when stumps were eventually called, the Windies were in a much better position.

    Source: ICC

    Photo: RANDY BROOKS/AFP/Getty Images

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    SA CRICKET